What are the best practices for tailoring your intelligence products to different audiences and formats?

Interview key stakeholders in each team first to understand both the subset of data they're interested in, the frequency and the way they want to consume it. Your CI will likely produce data that is only interesting for marketing, some for product, some for sales, and some for execs. Don't waste your sales team time with Social Media analysis of your competitors, that's not what they care about. Just talk with them and they'll provide you a detailed list of what they need / how

Tailoring intelligence products to diverse audiences and formats demands a strategic approach. Begin by understanding the specific needs and priorities of each audience segment. Customize the content and language to resonate with their preferences and level of expertise. Utilize varied formats such as executive summaries for leadership, detailed reports for analysts, and visual dashboards for a quick overview. Incorporate actionable insights relevant to each stakeholder group. Regularly seek feedback to refine and improve communication strategies. By employing these best practices, intelligence products can effectively cater to the unique requirements of different audiences and formats.

If your intel isn't going to be used it's worth less than nothing - you've squandered your time with it. The better way to go about it is to understand and anticipate the needs of the people you are reporting or delivering insights to. I like to stick with these golden rules: - Accessibility - use the tech stack your team is already using - Context - always provide context and (over)communicate - Easy to Consume -understand the level of detail needed - IT team likes a technical product teardown while stakeholders need to know the three biggest takeaways, an action plan on what to change, and when this change is taking place - Feedback loop - ask to improve next time The biggest enemy of CI is complexity. Keep it simple and actionable.

Great ideas already provided. Knowing the audience to set the tone, level of detail, vehicle and channel are table stakes that lend a hand to providing the most important information tailored to that audience which is…the so what, what does it mean for your audience? Why should they care? What are you doing about it? This helps to really get them hooked.

Understanding your audience's needs and preferences is crucial in competitive intelligence. Tailoring information not only ensures relevance but also enhances decision-making efficiency. Using personas and stakeholder maps for segmentation can significantly improve the alignment of intelligence products with the strategic objectives of different internal stakeholders, thereby increasing the impact and utility of the intelligence gathered.

This is such a crucial step that you can't miss. Choosing the right format for your report is as important as choosing the right subject line for your email campaign. > Familiar Tech Stack - if the format is too complex, your colleagues will see it as a friction point. People are resistant to change so at the start use the tech stack they are already using. > Minimum Effective Dose - don't try to fit the next American novel on a battlecard. Think about how you got over history exams - legible, useful answers in a short form and easy to use cheat sheet. Take the same approach. Less is often more. > Aim for Speed - a sales rep will need to recall a battlecard in a few seconds. Make sure your material is ready and accessible.

Selecting the appropriate format is akin to speaking the language of your audience. Different stakeholders have diverse preferences when it comes to consuming information. Executives, pressed for time, may appreciate concise executive summaries that distill key insights. On the other hand, technical teams may require in-depth reports with detailed analyses. Tailoring the format to the preferences of your audience enhances the likelihood of effective communication, making it easier for them to absorb and act on the provided intelligence.

You message may get lost if you don't completely understand the preferences and communication styles of different audiences. Utilize concise summaries, visualizations, and interactive formats to effectively convey key insights, ensuring that the chosen format aligns with the specific needs of each audience.

The pyramid principle is a time-tested approach to effective communication. Begin your intelligence products with a sharp and succinct summary encapsulating the most critical information. As you progress, delve into supporting details. This pyramid structure accommodates various learning styles and preferences within your audience, allowing them to engage with the content at a level that aligns with their informational needs and depth of interest.

People learn in many different ways. I try to build in imagery and insight into competitive intelligence for visual learners. For example, if pricing was one of our differentiators, I might have an image of a money symbol or cost-cutting to enhance a competitive presentation. One key thing to remember is everyone learners differently and you can't build CI materials just based on how you learn.

Integrating visual aids is a powerful method for enhancing the accessibility and impact of your intelligence products. Complex data and insights can be challenging to convey through text alone. By incorporating charts, graphs, and infographics, you create a visual narrative that complements the textual content. Visuals not only aid in comprehension but also cater to those with a preference for visual learning, ensuring a more inclusive and effective communication strategy.

When I first started my consulting business, I realized the importance of clarity and simplicity in my communication. One of my clients, who was new to the industry, struggled to understand technical jargon and complex concepts. To address this, I adjusted my approach by using everyday language and providing relatable examples. This not only helped my client grasp the information more easily but also built a stronger connection and trust between us.

Less is more. To gain and keep the attention of your audience, use clear and concise language and terminology that align with the knowledge levels of diverse audiences, prioritize key insights, and present actionable recommendations in a straightforward manner for effective communication and decision-making. Remember, simple language makes it easily consumable. Avoid jargon or choice of fancy vocabulary where possible.

AI is an overhyped word nowadays but in this use case it can really help programmatically adapt your content to different granularity use-cases. I've seen multiple companies successfully produce high-granularity CI data in a human-driven way and then use AI to repurpose it to different needs and media.

The importance of clarity and conciseness cannot be overstated when tailoring intelligence products. Clear and concise language is the bridge that connects complex insights to your audience's understanding. Avoid unnecessary jargon and detail overload. Precision in communication ensures that your message is not only heard but comprehended, fostering effective decision-making across diverse audience levels.

Feedback is crucial for a successful competitive intelligence program. I like to get input via both interviews and surveys. Whenever I interview a sales rep, product manager, or CSM on our competitive intelligence, I learn something about how we can improve, change, or tweak our CI. Always remember the value of feedback in a CI program!

Feedback is a cornerstone for continuous improvement. Actively seek input from your audience regarding the effectiveness of your intelligence products. Understand what resonated well and areas that could be enhanced. By incorporating constructive feedback, you engage in an iterative process of refinement. This commitment to improvement ensures that your intelligence products remain finely tuned to evolving audience expectations and needs.

Promoting your CI is one of the most essential parts of CI. Even if you built a battle card or a presentation, the sales team will still need to read it. Sales are hectic, so you need to enable them competitively on a particular competitor or market multiple times.

Before moving on to the next piece of content, consider how you can maximize its value. Repurpose your content across all social media platforms, your website, and industry periodicals, etc. If it's evergreen, reuse it multiple times when appropriate..